Flutter
by gingermemequeen
Summary: In the months following Mitsuru's promise to protect Kokoro and her unborn child, Mitsuru and Kokoro slowly grow back together.
1. Chapter 1

**~NOTICE ABOUT GUEST REVIEWS & COMMENTS ON MY WORKS~:**

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….

As Zero Two's figure transformed into stone, Kokoro's hand was grasped onto Mitsuru's. The ring on her finger should have felt foreign, but it seemed to fall right into place. The rushing rain that had left them damp was now replaced by growing sunlight and drifting clouds. Kokoro's eyes were still red from crying, though they were drying with the increasing sunlight.

Mitsuru's thumb brushed Kokoro's pale hand. A sharp intake of breath followed from the blonde girl as she was slowly reminded that she wasn't alone anymore. Mitsuru had made sure to make that known during their earlier discussion.

"What do you think it means?" Kokoro asked, looking forward at Zero Two's still figure.

"I don't know, but she must be with Hiro now," Mitsuru guessed.

"Do you think I helped her as best as I could?" Kokoro wondered.

"Of course."

Kokoro nodded, trying to ignore the sting of tears in her eyes. She absentmindedly rubbed her hand over her lower abdomen. She couldn't think of herself as useless anymore. Even if she could no longer be there for Zero Two, she had others that depended on her now.

Mitsuru's hand left hers and tugged on her sleeve.

"It's still wet. Come on. We should go back inside and get you a fresh change of clothes," Mitsuru suggested.

Kokoro nodded, though even as she turned to leave with him, her eyes still wandered toward the stone statue underneath Genista's shadow.

When Kokoro emerged from her room in a pair of fresh clothes, Mitsuru was waiting with a blanket and cup of steaming liquid.

"It's hot chocolate," he said, handing it toward her.

"T-Thank you, Mitsuru-kun," Kokoro said, a slight headache gathering in the center of her forehead. She ignored the pain and sipped on the hot liquid.

The two found a nearby bench to sit on as Kokoro warmed up again. She hugged the blanket close to her body and continued to sip at the hot cocoa all the while Mitsuru sat beside her.

While Mitsuru's presence wasn't as awkward as before, Kokoro still found the silence a bit unsettling. Or rather, she was at a loss for words.

"Do you need to go back and work?" Kokoro asked, finally glancing up at him. "I'll be okay."

"I'll stay with you for a little while," Mitsuru promised.

Kokoro nodded and glanced down at her mug. She slowly swirled it, watching the warm chocolate slip up and down the sides. Without thinking, she let out a sigh.

"Everything okay?" Mitsuru asked, staring at her with those concerned green eyes.

"Oh, I'm fine," Kokoro assured him. "I'm just worried about Zero Two and the others. I-I know my place now in all of this, but a part of me wishes I could still help."

"You're helping just as much as all of them. You're showing the others that there's a future ahead," he said, gently placing his hand over her stomach.

Kokoro's cheeks reddened as she turned her gaze away.

"I'm scared, Mitsuru-kun," she said at last.

"Everyone will be okay. You'll see," he assured her.

She shook her head. "I know everyone will fight well. I'm scared for the future. No one has had a baby in years. I know I wanted one, at least that's what everyone said, and I feel affection towards it, but…"

"We'll conquer the future together," Mitsuru said. "You can lean on me."

A sharp pain shot through Kokoro's skull, and she let out a gasp, pressing her head toward her temple.

"Are you all right?" Mitsuru asked.

The pain subsided not long after, and she slowly nodded.

"I'm sorry. I-I wonder if you said that before to me one time," Kokoro thought.

"I don't remember. I'm sorry."

"I guess it doesn't matter what we do or don't remember anymore. I want to get to know you better," she said, grasping onto Mitsuru's hand.

"Me too," he replied.

Nearly all the hot chocolate had been drained from Kokoro's mug again. She was finally beginning to feel like herself again, and her emotional afternoon was becoming a hazy memory. She suddenly let out a large yawn.

"Should you head off for some rest?" Mitsuru suggested.

"I guess so. Before I start feeling nauseous again."

"Can I bring you anything?" Mitsuru wondered.

"It's okay. You've done enough already," Kokoro told him. "But…can you visit later? I don't feel as lonely when I'm with you."

"Of course. As soon as I finish the chores for the day, I'll visit. We can even eat supper together later."

Kokoro grinned and stood up, ready to retire for a quick nap. Mitsuru escorted her back to her bedroom and smiled with his eyes as he left her to rest.

...

Over the next day or two, Mitsuru finally felt like his world was becoming complete again. It wasn't responsibility that made him feel obligated to remain by Kokoro's side, but something else entirely.

He ate meals with her, brought her anything she needed, and made sure to keep her company as often as possible. They were warming up to each other, presumably again, though he wished he could remember the first time that they had grown close.

One morning, Mitsuru stopped by Kokoro's bedroom so that they could attend breakfast together.

"Oh, I'm almost ready," Kokoro told him as she opened the door. "I just need to get some shoes on."

Mitsuru nodded, glancing around the tiny quarters of her room that were similar to everyone else's. There was a twin size bed, a dresser, a small closet, and an adjoining bathroom. He frowned, wondering how she was eventually going to care for a baby in such a small space.

Kokoro was kneeling on her bed, placing her shoes on, when she suddenly let out a moan and covered her mouth.

"Kokoro-san?" Mitsuru asked, ignoring the pain shooting across his head.

She rushed to the restroom, and moments later, he could hear her gagging. He slowly approached the bathroom door, pushing it aside to find her leaning over the toilet.

"I'm sorry," she coughed before leaning over the toilet again.

Mitsuru quickly grasped her long blonde hair and held it behind her as she finished expelling the remaining contents in her stomach. It ached him to see her in pain, though by now, she appeared to be used to it.

He slowly rubbed her back as she finished coughing.

"Can I get you some water?" he asked, reaching for the cup near the sink.

She nodded, and a moment later, she was quietly slurping on cold water while sitting on the cold tile of the bathroom floor.

"You're still getting sick?" Mitsuru wondered.

"It's a side effect of the pregnancy. It's been better though. I haven't gotten sick in a while," she explained.

Mitsuru stared at her with concern. He supposed pregnancy was a lot more difficult than it seemed. He just wished she would stop getting sick so he could end his constant worry over her.

"I'm fine, Mitsuru-kun," she promised, noticing the concern in his eyes.

"I suppose this means no breakfast now," Mitsuru realized.

"I'm sorry. My stomach is still a little upset. I think I'll lie down a little bit. You go on without me."

"Okay, but I'll be back later to check on you, all right?"

"Mm…" Kokoro nodded and finally rose again, heading back over to her bed.

...

The day was as long and hot as ever for Mitsuru as he worked in the fields. He used his orange towel to wipe the sweat that had gathered across his face from a hard day's work. He still worried about Kokoro, especially when he knew she wasn't feeling well, but he knew chores still had to come first. After all, if new generations were to inherit the earth, they had to make sure there was enough food.

Large echoes sounded across the sky, and when Mitsuru glanced up, he realized with surprise that the Franxx were returning back to earth. He gasped and dropped his tools, rushing up toward the landing dock.

As he rounded the corner, he nearly collided into Kokoro. The blonde let out a gasp and became unbalanced until Mitsuru's firm grip steadied her.

"I thought you were resting," he spoke sternly. He hadn't meant to become angry with her, but he didn't want her to strain herself.

"I-I heard the rockets," she explained.

Mitsuru turned his head, realizing that only three had returned with Strelizia nowhere in sight. His heart sank a little. He had hoped that Zero Two and Hiro were safe and sound.

Ichigo and Goro were the first to descend from their robots.

"Hey, it looks like we have a proper welcome," Goro called to Ichigo as he approached Kokoro and Mitsuru.

"Where's…" Kokoro's voice trailed off as she glanced at the missing robots.

"The Nines are dead," Ichigo explained as the others began to approach Kokoro and Mitsuru.

"And Zero Two and Hiro?" Mitsuru wondered.

"They went through the gate to another solar system. VIRM isn't defeated just yet," said Goro.

"We can only safely pray for their return," Ichigo said, her voice a bit more unenthusiastic than normal.

"Oi! We fought aliens!" Zorome shouted as he approached the two.

"Kokoro-chan!" Futoshi exclaimed. "How are you?"

"Oh, I'm doing well," Kokoro said.

Futoshi's eyes fell down to Kokoro's hands, then they rapidly shot to Mitsuru's before he let out a gasp.

"Oh, you two are wearing rings again," Ikuno realized.

"It looks like you two were fighting just as hard back here," Ichigo said, beginning to smile again.

Both Mitsuru and Kokoro exchanged a glance before nodding.

...

"I'm tired," Miku complained as she sat on Kokoro's bed.

"I would expect so. After all, you just came back from a space battle," Kokoro told her. She'd spent the entire afternoon hearing all the details of their adventure while she and Mitsuru had given somewhat of an explanation of what had occurred between them in the time they had been gone.

"I hope Zero Two and Hiro will be okay," Ichigo said quietly from the chair on the other side of Kokoro's room.

"Hey, Kokoro, can I just sleep right here?" Miku asked, glancing upward at her friend. "I'm too tired to walk back to my room."

"Miku, she needs to rest too," Ikuno warned. "It can't be easy carrying another human inside you."

"I'm feeling better," Kokoro promised.

"I'm glad you and Mitsuru are wearing your rings again," Ichigo said, grinning at the soon-to-be mother.

"Me too," Kokoro spoke quietly. "I-I'm surprised he kept it."

"Ugh, it's so romantic! I wish I could be as much in love as you two are," Miku complained.

"Love…" The word still felt foreign on Kokoro's tongue. She was still having trouble comprehending the unique feeling. She supposed she must have felt it at some point, but those memories were far gone from her mind. But it must be something special, a truly deep bond. She knew that Zero Two and Hiro were in love, but she wasn't sure what truly constituted it just yet.

"I'm going to bed," Ichigo said, lifting her arms and heading toward the door.

"Come on, Miku," Ikuno called.

The red-headed girl let out a moan and slowly stood up. "See you later, Kokoro," she said, following the others.

"Oh, Kokoro, Mitsuru is here," Ichigo noted as they headed out.

"O-Oh," she stammered, pulling her covers over her. She was only wearing her nightgown. She knew Mitsuru must have seen her in a nightgown in the past, but every time she tried to remember such a time, there was only inky darkness.

"I was just saying good-night," he said, standing in the doorframe.

"Oh, good night, Mitsuru-kun," she spoke quietly. "Hey, now that the others are back, you can spend less time worrying about me."

Mitsuru grinned. "I think I'll still worry, but at least there will be more people looking after you. Have a good sleep."

"Oh, you too," she said.

As she rested her head on her pillow, she reached her hand out into the blank space of her room. A surge of heat flooded through her as she possibly remembered a time when someone had been near her in bed.

But the air was quickly cold again, and she pulled her hand back inside the covers. She knew her bed would be rather small for two human beings, yet why did she feel that someone was meant to beside her?


	2. Chapter 2

The soft chirping of birds woke Mitsuru in the morning. His eyelids fluttered open to find streams of gentle sunlight illuminating his room. He stretched a hand out into thin air, watching as the light illuminated the silver ring on his finger.

He paused and frowned slightly as he wrapped a few fingers around his ring. He believed that this ring most likely held more significance than he thought. With each day that passed, he wanted to remain closer to Kokoro and be her wings. Perhaps that's what the small piece of jewelry symbolized.

The brown-haired boy slowly sat up and wiped his tired eyes before getting ready for the day. He assumed it would be another long day working in the fields now that the crops were finally beginning to grow.

A month or two had passed since the others' return from space. Hiro and Zero Two were still fighting in space, though Mitsuru was beginning to feel more at ease now that the others of Squad 13 had returned.

Mitsuru turned and left his room behind in order to fetch Kokoro for breakfast. Her morning sickness had nearly subsided, and he noticed that her mood had begun to perk with each passing day.

Mitsuru rounded the corner, approaching Kokoro's living quarters. She opened her door nearly as soon as she arrived and stepped out. She gave him a smile, though it seemed she was too distracted with smoothing out her dress to say much else.

"Are you okay?" Mitsuru asked.

"Ah, yes. It's just…the clothes are getting a bit tight," she told him.

He glanced at her mid-section, realizing that the tiniest bump had begun to appear.

"You should ask for more clothes," he suggested.

Kokoro nodded. "Yes, I think I will."

"Shall we?"

The blonde nodded and grasped his hand as they headed toward the dining hall for their morning meal. The others of Squad 13 were already waiting for them, and as soon as they took their seats, all of them dug into their meal.

Mitsuru noticed Kokoro continue to fidget with her dress as she ate.

"Is it uncomfortable?" Mitsuru asked quietly.

She slowly nodded.

"We'll talk to Nana after breakfast," he promised.

...

By the afternoon, Kokoro was relieved to finally have a set of pregnancy clothes. She substituted her uniform for a light white dress that fit her body much better. Her waist was no longer constricted, and she sat with ease as her friends spoke around her.

"I don't even see a bump," Miku said, poking Kokoro's belly.

Kokoro giggled a bit. "I guess the dress covers it for now. But, really, my clothes were too tight."

"It's good we had some looser clothing lying around," Ichigo noted as she sipped her cup of tea.

Kokoro nodded, rubbing the small bump in her abdomen. She enjoyed her friends' presence more than anything, yet she also wished Mitsuru was here to spend some time with her. She was less lonely than when her friends were still in space, but there was always a perpetual longing for him that haunted her day in and out.

"I can't wait to hold the baby when it gets here," Miku spoke excitedly.

"I'm afraid it's still going to be a little while. I'm just finishing up my first trimester," Kokoro explained.

"We'll be sure to help you out as best as we can when it gets here," Ichigo promised.

"That is, if Mitsuru doesn't beat us to it," Ikuno joked.

Kokoro's cheeks reddened, and she glanced down at her hands, her eyes always falling to the ring that remained glued to her finger.

"Have you two _kissed_?" Miku teased, poking at Kokoro's arm.

"Kiss?" she asked. The word felt familiar, but also completely foreign. A dull pain grew in the back of her skull as she tried to reach in her mind for the memory of one, but there was nothing there.

"It's when you stick your mouths together," Miku told Kokoro.

"Hiro and Zero Two would do it a lot," Ichigo said quietly.

"I think you and Mitsuru used to do it, but only in private," Miku explained to Kokoro.

"I…don't remember," Kokoro said, letting out a deep sigh. While the memory loss was getting easier to overcome, it still often frustrated her that she could not recall her and Mitsuru's more intimate moments.

Kokoro suddenly felt an aching in her chest. She wanted Mitsuru here all of the sudden. What was this prolonged desire? Was it love?

It must be she thought as she stroked her stomach once again. Whoever was growing inside her, she'd taken a strong attraction to, and while it was more muted than what she felt for Mitsuru, it was still the same emotion deep down.

...

"How was your day?" Mitsuru asked as he sat atop Kokoro's bed. Both were in their night clothes having a quiet chat before bed. Neither were too embarrassed to see each other in their evening outfits anymore.

"Oh, it was good. My clothes are a lot comfier now, and the others kept me company," Kokoro explained. "Are the plants growing well?"

Mitsuru nodded. "We'll have a lot of fresh crops soon. We won't have to eat any more of that canned food anymore."

"I'm glad," Kokoro said, laying her hands in her lap. "I wish I could help. The others said I was good at gardening."

"I don't remember," Mitsuru honestly replied.

Kokoro nodded. "There's a lot we don't remember."

Mitsuru went quiet, watching as she averted her gaze from him. Suddenly, he heard her quietly sniffling, and he realized with surprise that she was crying.

"Kokoro-san," he spoke softly, grasping her arm.

"I'm sorry," she said, wiping tears from her eyes. "It's frustrating. Aren't you frustrated? My memories are blurred. I don't remember anything about you or me or how we came together. I don't even remember wanting a baby."

"But you do want the baby, don't you?" Mitsuru asked.

"Of course I do. I just wish I remembered how I felt back then instead of having others tell me. I wish I could remember falling in love with you. Love…I don't even really know what that word means," Kokoro murmured.

Mitsuru wasn't sure how to respond, but he grasped her hand and rubbed it as her tears subsided. He was glad he wasn't alone in his frustration, but he hadn't expected Kokoro to break down like this.

"Say, Mitsuru-kun, do you know what a kiss is?" she asked.

"I-I've heard the word. I must've known it at some point," he said.

"Miku told me it's when two people stick their mouths together. Can we try it?" she asked.

Mitsuru gulped and nodded. He may not have remembered the word, but it felt special. A warmth spread across his chest as Kokoro turned to face him. She leaned her face toward him until he felt soft lips press against his.

Electricity ran through Mitsuru's body as he shut his eyes and lengthened the kiss. It was the most amazing feeling in the world. How could he not remember something like this?

The two pulled away, and Kokoro stared up into Mitsuru's green eyes.

"That felt…"

"Wonderful," Mitsuru answered.

She nodded. "Can we do it again?" she asked.

Mitsuru leaned down to kiss her again. He wrapped one hand around her waist while the other gently cupped her cheek. Kokoro placed her hands against his chest, her mouth continuing to align with his.

Mitsuru broke off, gasping for breath as Kokoro did the same.

"Do you think we ever kissed before?" Kokoro asked, her cheeks red and hot.

"We must have."

"It felt familiar," Kokoro realized.

Mitsuru nodded, wishing he could recall the other times they'd shared a special moment like this, but for now, he was satisfied with this present moment.

"I'm tired," Kokoro whispered.

"Me too. I guess I'll leave you to go off to bed then?" he said, standing up from the edge of her bed.

"Mitsuru-kun, wait," she spoke quietly.

"Huh?"

He spun around, facing her. She pulled the covers up near her face as she sat in bed before quietly asking, "Can you stay with me?"

"Stay? You mean sleep in your bed?" Mitsuru realized.

"Maybe I'm selfish, but it's getting harder and harder to be away from you. I-I realize you have a room of your own that's probably much more comfy, but all I feel lately is this longing to be beside you."

Mitsuru paused for a second, staring at Kokoro in disbelief. How had she managed to describe perfectly the exact same emotion he was feeling?

"I know what you mean," he told her.

"You do?" Slowly, she let the covers drop from her face.

"I'll stay with you," he promised.

"Oh, let me grab an extra pillow," Kokoro said, standing up and extracting it from her closet. She lowered it down on the bed, making Mitsuru giggle. The two pillows barely fit across the bedframe.

"Sorry. It might be a tight squeeze," Kokoro realized, crawling into bed.

Mitsuru chuckled before falling into bed with her. The sheets were already warm as he settled down and rested his head on one of the soft pillows.

Kokoro was right. It was a bit of a tight squeeze, but the two were small enough that they managed to fit just fine.

Kokoro turned her body so that it was facing Mitsuru's.

"Does this feel familiar too?" she asked him, placing a hand against his chest.

He nodded. "It feels like it's from a dream," he murmured.

He lazily draped an arm around Kokoro's waist, pulling her closer to him. She let out a surprise gasp, but then rested her head in the crook of his neck all the same. As Mitsuru felt her hot breath against him and the gentle rise and fall of her chest, he finally felt complete.

...

Kokoro awoke the next morning finding Mitsuru's arms still wrapped around her. She grinned a little and lightly poked him until his eyes slightly opened.

"Good morning," she said quietly.

Mitsuru yawned and smiled softly back at her.

"How did you sleep?" he asked.

"Good."

"That's good," he said, shutting his eyes and taking another deep breath.

"Eh, Mitsuru-kun?" she asked quietly, sharp pain hitting her skull.

"Huh?" He opened an eye.

"Do you think…we can always sleep like this?" she asked.

"Always?"

"I was just thinking…" Kokoro's voice trailed off, and she glanced up at him. "When the baby gets here, we'll work together to care for it, and it would make sense for us to share the same room, right?"

"Right."

"I-I like being close to you, too," she said quietly, running a hand through his soft hair.

Mitsuru grinned and gave her a light kiss.

"We can ask Nana later today for a bigger room. I imagine this bed is going to get uncomfortable after a while," Mitsuru said, moving his hand so that it laid on her stomach.

Kokoro grinned and wrapped her arms around the boy, shoving her head into his chest.

"Kokoro-san?"

"I'm just very happy," she murmured into his chest.


	3. Chapter 3

Three months passed in the blink of an eye. Per request, Kokoro and Mitsuru were given their own special living quarters, complete with a large bed, extra closets, and an extended bathroom.

Kokoro's stomach had doubled in size, a noticeable bump now visible even in her pregnancy clothes. Meanwhile, some of the crops had been able to be harvested, allowing the parasites to eat some proper food for once.

Kokoro had never felt happier as she grew closer with Mitsuru and prepared for the baby's birth.

One afternoon, Kokoro and Mitsuru sat alone at dinner as the other parasites explored the remnants of Mistilteinn.

"I wish we could've gone too," Kokoro said, chewing on a piece of bread.

"They'll tell us all about it," Mitsuru assured her. "It would've been too hard for you to get around."

Kokoro sighed and nodded, rubbing her stomach. Her back was beginning to hurt more and more, and she could only stand to walk around for so long.

"Kokoro! Mitsuru! We're back!" came an excited cry from behind them.

Kokoro spun around, finding that the others had returned with a box of what she could only assume were belongings.

"We found a lot of old things," Ikuno noted.

"That reminds me," Miku said. She pulled out a sewn baby doll from behind her back and handed it to Kokoro. A pain shot through Kokoro's head as she glanced at it.

"This was yours, wasn't it?" Miku asked, placing the doll into Kokoro's hand. "I grabbed it for you a long time ago but I had forgotten I had taken it until I went back today."

Kokoro held the doll in her hand and glanced up. Mitsuru's hand was also massaging his temple as well.

"Does it hurt you too?" Kokoro asked.

He nodded.

"Thank you, Miku," Kokoro said, lightly stroking the arms of the doll. She wondered why it had set off pain in her head as she stared at it. She supposed she could give it to the baby once it was born.

"A lot of it was in ruin," Ichigo explained as she took a seat. "It was nice seeing the old home again though."

"I'm glad you could recover some things," Kokoro said, cradling the doll without even realizing it.

...

Mitsuru heard the sound of crickets as he slept beside Kokoro at night. Their cuddling had begun to subside now that it was becoming more and more uncomfortable for Kokoro to sleep at night. Still, they often interlaced their hands as they slept if nothing else.

The tiniest moans escaped Kokoro's mouth, fully waking Mitsuru. He opened his eyes as her hand left his and trailed to her stomach. He sighed and shut his eyes again before Kokoro poked his arm.

"Mitsuru-kun," she whispered.

He slowly opened his eyes, finding her wide awake.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I-I think the baby is kicking," she realized. "I-I've felt it before, but never this strong."

"Kicking?"

She grabbed his hand and placed it against her stomach. He gasped, feeling a strange movement underneath his palm.

"Do you feel that all the time?" he gasped with realization.

"Often, yes. It's a strange fluttering," Kokoro said. "But usually it's not strong enough for someone else to feel it."

"There really is another human being in there," Mitsuru realized. In the six months Kokoro had been pregnant, he should have had enough time to let that thought settle in, but he was only just beginning to understand now that he would be raising a child soon.

"Mitsuru-kun? Are you okay?" Kokoro asked.

"I…" He paused, realizing tears had come to his eyes. He sniffed and wiped them away. "I just realized I'm going to be a father soon."

Kokoro grinned in the moonlight. "I have no doubt you'll be a great one."

He gave a little laugh-cry and kissed her. She stroked a hand through his hair and smiled against his lips.

"Oh, it looks like it stopped," Kokoro whispered. "I'm going to go back to bed."

"Good night," Mitsuru said. His hand reached for hers again, and he was slowly lulled off to sleep by the sound of her breaths.

...

Kokoro happily sat with a thread and needle in her hand as she worked on sewing baby clothes. The other parasites sat nearby and watched her with delight as she moved her hands delicately.

"I can teach you all to sew something if you like," Kokoro said to the others. They all nodded their heads and shot her a smile.

Kokoro grinned and went back to sewing. She was never one to seek much attention, but now that she was the sole pregnant parasite and first to give birth, she always had onlookers ready to speak with and aid her if needed.

"Your stomach is getting so big!" Miku gasped.

"If you place your hand on it, you might feel the baby kick," Kokoro explained. "Mitsuru felt it the other night."

"Really?" The redhead placed her hand on Kokoro's stomach, her face twisted as she tried to find some sort of movement.

"It doesn't seem like it's kicking right now. Maybe…" All of the sudden, a flutter went through Kokoro's stomach, and Miku nearly screeched.

"I felt it!"

Kokoro giggled.

"Hi there, baby! It's your auntie Miku talking! We're all so excited for you to come!" Miku nearly shouted at Kokoro's abdomen.

"I think it can hear you just fine when you talk normally," Kokoro assured her, returning back to her sewing.

"What are you making for the baby this time?" Miku wondered.

"It's a blanket," Kokoro explained, holding up the cloth in front of her. "I thought the fabric felt soft, and I'm going to stitch little designs into it."

"Ooh, what kind of designs?" Miku inquired.

"I was thinking cherry blossoms."

...

Kokoro was placing her newly sewn items in the chest in the corner of the room when Mitsuru entered, wiping dirt and sweat from his face with the towel that hung around his neck.

"Oh, how was your day?" she asked.

"It was good. The weather is cooling down now, so it's not as hot," he explained, sitting down on the bed. "Did you sew all day?"

"Mostly. Although Zorome and Futoshi kept trying to bring me some water or snacks every passing minute," she said, giggling a bit. "It's nice to know that everyone cares so much."

Mitsuru grinned, happy to know that so many others were looking out for her. He stood up and peered over the chest.

"What did you sew?" he asked.

"A blanket, some socks, a hat," Kokoro explained as she neatly folded everything. The chest was growing larger and larger with baby materials, and there were still a few unassembled items in the corner of the room that needed to be made.

Mitsuru reached down, his hands touching the soft fabric of the blanket she had made. Colorful cherry blossom petals adorned the blue fabric. He didn't know why, but Mitsuru swore he could remember some blowing in the breeze at one point in his life. But he couldn't attribute to where the memory was from.

"It's soft," he said, rubbing his fingers over the edge.

"I thought so too."

"Hey, Kokoro-san? Could you cut my hair?" Mitsuru asked, his hand reaching up to stroke the thick locks of brown hair.

"I thought it was getting a little long."

"I had some of the other parasites cut it in the past, but they never did a good job. Ichigo told me that you were the one who originally cut my hair," he explained.

"I bet I could make it a little shorter. Why don't you take a seat?" she suggested.

Mitsuru moved over to the chair by the mirror and watched as she gathered her scissors. He leaned his head forward as she walked over, and soon enough, he heard the sound of snipping.

"This feels familiar too," he murmured. "But I still can't remember it."

"I don't know if we'll ever really remember anything, but I'm starting to accept it," Kokoro said, turning the scissors toward the side of his head and snipping there.

Mitsuru's eyes fell to Kokoro's stomach that was nearly brushing against him as Kokoro moved. It was hard to believe that at one point she had been hardly showing at all.

"Ooh." Kokoro let out a sound.

"Are you okay?" Mitsuru asked.

"Sorry. Another kick, that's all. I'm almost done, Mitsuru-kun." She continued moving her hands until the last small locks of hair fell to the floor.

"How does it look?" she asked.

Mitsuru turned his head to look in the mirror. He grinned, glad to have it at a shorter length again. He was right. She did a much better job than anyone else.

"Thank you," he said.

"Your hair looks a lot more handsome now," she said, rubbing the top of his head.

Mitsuru blushed. The chair scraped across the floor as he stood up and lightly grabbed ahold of her shoulders, planting a long-awaited kiss on her lips.

Kokoro let out a sound of surprise, but she returned the favor, shutting her eyes and moving her soft lips against his.

"What was that for?" she asked quietly as they broke away.

"I just wanted to kiss you, that's all," Mitsuru said, tucking a strand of Kokoro's blonde hair behind her ear.

Kokoro looked up and grinned at Mitsuru. His heart fluttered in his chest as he gazed at her, and he wondered how lucky he was to find someone like Kokoro.


	4. Chapter 4

Mitsuru sat up in bed in the morning, reading to himself while Kokoro slept calmly on the other side of him. Their bed had been overtaken by pillows as Kokoro did her best to sleep comfortably. She was now in her eighth month of pregnancy, and Mitsuru could tell she was getting increasingly anxious to give birth with each passing day.

Blonde strands were strewn over Kokoro's face as she softly inhaled and exhaled. Mitsuru smiled at her, watching her sleep. She had been tossing and turning all night, and though the morning hours were dragging on, he didn't want to wake her when he knew she needed the rest.

Kokoro let out one more long exhale before her eyes fluttered opened. She was quiet at first, glancing at the pillows before trailing her eyes up to Mitsuru.

"Oh, I could barely see you past all the pillows," Kokoro murmured.

"Did you sleep well?" Mitsuru asked.

"Once I got comfortable, yes."

He watched as her eyes glanced around the room. She let out a yawn and slowly sat up, her hand stationed on her stomach.

"What time is it?" she gasped.

"Almost noon."

"Oh! You should be out working! I didn't mean to keep you here," Kokoro spoke apologetically.

Mitsuru chuckled. "It's okay. I won't be spending as much hours out there now, especially since you need some more help. I'll work in the afternoon."

Kokoro turned her head and nodded, clutching the sheet up to her.

"I'm going to shower," she decided.

Mitsuru nodded and continued reading as he listened to the sound of running water in the background. Kokoro emerged not too long later donning a silky white dress and damp hair.

"Ah, that feels better," she said, sitting down beside Mitsuru. She rested her head against his shoulder, eliciting a sigh from him.

"What are you reading?" she asked.

"Oh, just a book about plants. It's actually kind of interesting," he realized.

Kokoro giggled and moved her head from his shoulder.

"Oh! Did you make that?" she asked, pointing to the bassinet sitting in the corner of the room.

"Oh. Yeah," Mitsuru said, blushing slightly. "You slept really late this morning, but I didn't want to leave, so I thought I'd be useful."

Kokoro slowly stood up and waddled toward the bassinet.

"Ah, it'll be perfect!" she exclaimed. Mitsuru watched as she reached down to retrieve a sewn blanket from her chest of baby goods. She folded it and placed it gently inside.

"There, now it will be all ready for when the baby comes," she spoke excitedly.

"How much longer until it comes, do you think?" Mitsuru wondered.

"Oh, probably not for another month, unless it comes early," she said. She peered out the window, excitement gathering on her face. "Oh, it's snowing."

Mitsuru looked outside, watching tiny white flakes drift down from the cloudy sky.

"Maybe I won't need to help in the fields today," he realized, laughing slightly. The weather had certainly gotten colder, but now it seemed the first signs of winter were upon them.

"I'm going to see if I can help out with anything," said Mitsuru. "I imagine they'll need some help completely harvesting everything."

"Okay. Be back soon."

"I will," he promised, bending down and kissing her forehead.

...

"Look what I made, Kokoro!" Miku exclaimed, holding up a pair of slightly disfigured socks.

Kokoro chuckled. "Have you been taking my sewing lessons to heart?"

"I wanted to make something for the new baby too," Miku explained.

"I tried to make a hat, but it didn't end up well," Ikuno muttered.

"That's all right. I'm glad that the others here are learning to sew as well. I didn't realize I was such a good teacher."

"Is it getting uncomfortable?" Ichigo asked, pointing to Kokoro's large bump.

She nodded. "A bit. I wish the baby would come sooner. I try not to act too upset though, for Mitsuru's sake."

"It'll be here in no time," Ikuno promised.

Kokoro grinned at her friends, stroking her stomach once more.

"Do you think Hiro and Zero Two will be back soon?" Ichigo wondered after a prolonged silence.

"I don't know," Miku sighed. "VIRM must still be out there."

"I hope they're okay," Kokoro thought. "But I also hope they'll drive VIRM away for good." She glanced down at her stomach, a new fear creeping inside her that perhaps the world she brought her baby into would not be a safe one. She shook these thoughts away, telling herself that Hiro and Zero Two would surely not let that happen.

"It's been so long since they left. I just worry for them," Ichigo muttered, pulling her legs up to her chest.

"It must take a lot of time and energy to defeat something so powerful," Kokoro explained. "Just like how it takes a long time to have a baby too. I think the outcome of their fight will be successful."

The slightest smile grew on Ichigo's face and on the others as well.

"When did you get so wise, Kokoro?" Miku inquired, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, I don't think I'm…" Kokoro's voice trailed off. She guessed she certainly was more assertive now than she had ever been. She smiled to herself, glad that she was truly evolving into the best version of herself.

...

The lights in the bedroom went dark as Kokoro watched Mitsuru crawl into bed. The air was colder than normal, especially with the new layer of snow on the ground. Kokoro wrapped her blankets around her and scooted closer toward Mitsuru.

"No pillows?" he asked her as he reached a hand over her.

"Not right now," she said. Though she was always fatigued and exhausted, she felt more awake than normal tonight.

"Mm," Mitsuru muttered, shutting his eyes. His hand traced up and down the curves of her body, eliciting the softest sighs from Kokoro. How could Mitsuru already be falling asleep when her entire body was tingling?

She leaned forward, pressing her lips against Mitsuru's.

Mitsuru's eyes shot open. "Kokoro-san?" he asked.

"Ah, sorry. Were you trying to sleep?" she wondered. She traced her fingers through his hair while he leaned forward to kiss her again. He gently squeezed her thighs while peppering kisses around her face.

"Mm. That feels good, Mitsuru-kun," she whispered. His hand trailed up and down her again as she let out soft sighs. She leaned forward, pressing a kiss right against his neck. She felt him shudder at her touch before his lips pressed against hers once more.

They broke apart, both of them panting from the prolonged kiss. Mitsuru moved slightly, trailing kisses up and down Kokoro's chin and neck. She let out quiet moans as a familiar heat pooled between her legs. She could barely catch her breath, and her abdomen felt like it had caught fire.

"Kokoro-san?" Mitsuru asked, noticing her expression of pure bliss. "Do you want me to stop?"

"Ah, sorry," she said, leaning forward to kiss him once more. "I'm getting tired now. Maybe we should go to sleep."

"Where did that come from?" Mitsuru asked, lacing his fingers through her hair.

"I-I don't know. I just got excited, that's all," she said, turning to lay on her back. "Good night, Mitsuru-kun."

"G'night, Kokoro-san," he muttered, shutting his eyes.

Kokoro's heart was still fluttering rapidly against her chest. Her eyes were glued to the dark ceiling as she listened to Mitsuru's gentle breaths.

"Mitsuru-kun?" she asked quietly.

"Huh?"

"How do you think babies are made?" she wondered.

Mitsuru grumbled and reached to turn on the lamp near his bedside. He sat up and rubbed his eyes. "What are you going on about?"

"Well, somehow or other we must have known because otherwise I wouldn't be pregnant," Kokoro murmured. The tingling sensation in her body had finally started to subside.

"Do you think it had something to do with what happened just now?" she asked quietly as Mitsuru sat in silence.

"I-I think so," he said. "But I don't remember how we…"

"I don't remember either, but sometimes I get this tingling inside me, and I think my body just sort of knows," Kokoro spoke, still staring up at the ceiling.

Both of them were quiet, listening to the nighttime world outside.

"Have you heard of sex, Mitsuru-kun?" she asked at last.

"Sex?"

"I've heard rumors that some of the other parasites have been doing it. I-I think that's how babies are made. Zorome told me that one time he caught us trying to stick our bodies together. Is that what it is?"

Mitsuru let out a hiss and winced.

"Did it trigger something?" Kokoro asked, finally turning her head to glance at him.

"I don't know what that was just now. All I know is that sometimes I get this tinging feeling too from my chest all the way down," Mitsuru explained.

"Me too," Kokoro breathed. "We…we must've done it at some point. I just don't remember it."

"Why? Did you want to try it?" Mitsuru asked.

Kokoro laughed. "No, not right now. I think I'm a bit too tired for that," she said, rubbing her hand over her enlarged stomach. "But I'm glad I have a better understanding of it now. Maybe one day, in the future…"

Mitsuru nodded, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

"Are you ready for bed now?"

Kokoro nodded, feeling relaxed again. The same tired state that plagued her day in and day out was finally returning to her.

The lights were shut off again, and she rested her head on the pillow, facing Mitsuru. She let out a gentle sigh and slowly drifted off to sleep as Mitsuru's fingers twisted her locks of hair.


	5. Chapter 5

Mitsuru thrashed around in bed, dreaming that he had missed the baby's birth and that there were some major complications. He was running endlessly down a hospital hallway, desperately trying to reach Kokoro's room, afraid of what he would find.

He had almost reached the door when someone grasped his arm, and he awoke with a startle. His eyes shot open, and he found beads of sweat dripping from his forehead. The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a light orange hue over the room. Kokoro was leaning over him, staring at him, concerned, with those soft blue eyes.

"Mitsuru-kun?" she asked quietly.

He shut his eyes and breathed while his rapid heartbeat echoed through his whole body

"I'm okay," he breathed, reaching his hand up to swipe the sweat off his forehead.

"Were you having a bad dream?" Kokoro asked, sitting up. His eyes fell on her enlarged stomach, and he breathed in relief.

He nodded as his breaths became more stable.

"You've been having a lot of poor dreams lately. You're always tossing and turning," Kokoro explained.

"It's okay. I'm sorry to wake you," Mitsuru mumbled, his eyes staring at the blank ceiling. "You can go back to sleep."

Kokoro shook her head. "I was awake anyway. What were you dreaming about?" she asked, propping her pillow up and leaning her back against it.

"I-I dreamt that something happened…with the birth. I don't know what it was, but it was something bad," Mitsuru said quietly, not wanting to scare his wife.

"Oh? Is that all? I get those dreams sometimes too," Kokoro said.

"You do?"

She nodded. "I would be lying if I wasn't a bit scared, but everyone is ready to take good care of me and the baby."

"What…what if something goes wrong?" Mitsuru wondered.

Kokoro laced her fingers through his hair, instantly calming him.

"It won't," she promised. "It's been a very healthy pregnancy so far."

Mitsuru nodded, though it was still impossible to shake the fear away. He reached a hand forward to pat Kokoro's swollen abdomen before resting his head back in the pillow.

"Any day now, huh?" he muttered.

Kokoro giggled. "Yes. I can't wait to meet him or her." She glanced down at her stomach and being speaking to it affectionately: "Come out, won't you, little one? Your mama and papa are waiting."

Mitsuru slowly sat up and wrapped his arm around Kokoro. They rested their heads together as they sat in the silence of their room.

"I don't want anything to happen to you or the baby," Mitsuru whispered. "I want to protect you both."

Kokoro grinned and interlaced her hand with this, gently rubbing circles with her thumb. He smiled, growing to love the bond that had formed between them.

...

Kokoro rested on a nearby bench with her friends gathered around her. Now that she was set to give birth any day, she'd been taking it fairly easy, not venturing too far from her living quarters.

"Do you think it'll be a boy or a girl?" Miku asked excitedly.

"Oh, I don't know," said Kokoro. "It doesn't really matter to me."

"I can't wait to hold the tiny thing," Ichigo said. "Babies must be so adorable."

Kokoro nodded, glancing down at her stomach. She was getting more and more anxious to give birth to her child.

"Everyone is so excited for a baby to be born," Ichigo explained, resting her hand on Kokoro's. "You're really setting an example here."

Kokoro blushed. "I didn't intend to become such a role model."

"We'll help you as much as we can when the baby's born," Ikuno promised.

"Thank you, everyone," Kokoro spoke sincerely.

...

That night, Kokoro sat up with Mitsuru. They both discussed their days and once again spoke of how excited they were to meet the new addition to the family.

Kokoro leaned back against her pillow, fantasies coming to her mind of raising the new child with Mitsuru by her side. She couldn't help but grin in satisfaction.

"Kokoro-san?"

She turned her head, staring into Mitsuru's green eyes. He cupped her cheeks and brought her head forward, pressing his lips against hers. Kokoro hummed before breaking away.

"I think I love you," he said.

"Love?"

"I know it's a word we were never taught, and I don't even really understand it fully, but remembering the interactions between Hiro and Zero Two and reading books where people had deep bonds helps me to understand what love is. These past nine months I've grown closer to you than I have with anyone. I always want to be by your side. I don't want to live without you. I love you, Kokoro-san, and I love the baby you're carrying too," Mitsuru confessed.

Tears sprung from Kokoro's eyes.

"I-I feel all those same emotions too," she wept. "I love you, too, Mitsuru."

She watched as tears began to gather in his eyes too as he pulled her close. She buried her head in his shoulder, weeping happily as he held her.

Love had always been such a foreign word for Kokoro. But sitting here now with Mitsuru, her pregnant belly pushing against him, she had a feeling that she truly understood what love meant.

"I don't think we'll ever get our memories back," Mitsuru murmured near her ear. "But it doesn't matter. I'm just as happy now as I probably was back then."

"Me too. Me too," Kokoro cried.

...

It was a particularly cold day out in the fields. Mitsuru was busy harvesting crops before the next snowstorm came in. While the wind was brisk, sweat continued to coat Mitsuru's body as he performed hard labor.

"Mitsuru!" came a sudden shout. He turned, watching another parasite run across the field toward him.

"What is it?" he asked, his hands beginning to shake.

The parasite paused, resting his hands on his knees as he gathered his breath.

"It's Kokoro. She's having the baby!"

Mitsuru dropped his tools and took off sprinting toward the hospital wing. He had a feeling that she would be giving birth today, but he had decided to work anyway since there was a lot of farming that needed to be done.

He rushed inside the facility, dodging other parasites.

"Sorry! Excuse me!" he called with each person he nearly bumped into.

He rushed up the stairs toward the hospital wing, panting heavily. Mitsuru couldn't remember a time that he'd run so fast in his life compared to now. His heart was racing as his adrenaline soared. He felt like he could keep running this speed forever.

Mitsuru's stomach twisted into knots as he ran down the hall. He glanced ahead, noticing a few of his friends and some other parasites were stationed outside one of the doors.

"Mitsuru, hurry!" Goro shouted.

He stepped inside, finding a group of crying women inside.

"Kokoro-san!" he gasped.

He rushed over to her bedside, finding a bundled infant squirming beside her. Kokoro was lying in bed, looking more exhausted, but more beautiful, than ever.

"Look, there's your papa," she said quietly to the newborn.

Mitsuru reached his hand forward, watching as the baby grasped its hand around his finger. He glanced down at the baby, his own child. Mitsuru had never known new life could be so beautiful.

His throat went dry, and tears gathered in his eyes. Before he knew it, he was joining the others in his sobs. Kokoro turned her head, glancing at him.

"It's a girl," she said quietly.

Mitsuru sniffled, gently touching his daughter's small, pale hand.

"I'm sorry," he said to Kokoro. "I missed the birth."

She shook her head, reaching her hand forward to grasp his.

"Everyone took good care of me. She's nice and healthy," she said, glancing down at their child.

Mitsuru nodded, his eyes still transfixed on the infant in front of him. How was it possible that he was a father now? All he knew was that when he stared at his daughter, he wanted to protect her and care for her more than ever.

"Should we name her?" Mitsuru wondered. "Just like Hiro gave us all names?" 

Kokoro nodded, grasping the baby's other hand.

"How about Ai? For love."

Another wave of tears overtook Mitsuru, and he nodded. Both he and Kokoro glanced over their newborn daughter. They had both made their first mark on the future.


End file.
